.. >> announcer: this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and good morning. welcome to a special edition of "today" on a monday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> good morning, everyone. i'm savannah guthrie. welcome back. >> good to be back. >> stay up all night watching the oscars? >> no. i made it through the singing of "goldfinger." i was surprised by the other awards when i woke up. how about you? >> i barely made it past the monologue.

but in my defense it was 17 minutes long. >> it was long. it really was. a lot of different reviews about the show. people not only talking about the big winners, but seth mcfarlane as host. it was a segment he joked about during much of the telecast. >> al and meredith are out in los angeles. they have been up all night and good morning to you, guy. should i say continuation of good evening? >> i haven't really been up all night. al's been up all night. >> meredith has been back in her room having mai tais. >> as you mentioned the reviews are still coming in. we'll talk abouthat. >> absolutely. we'll have all the fashion and everything you need to know that you might have missed. >> all right. some of those scenes right there, we're looking at the red carpet. as for seth mcfarlane, his opening monologue did last 17 minutes, kicked off a night filled with singing, dancing and awards. and the oscar goes to --

argo. >> in a surprise appearance from the white house, first lady michelle obama announced the winner for best picture. ben affleck expressed gratitude for this win. >> it doesn't matter that you get knocked down in life because that's going to happen. all that matters is that you get back up. and best actress, a bit of a stumble. >> you're just standing up because you feel bad that i fell. thank you. >> later celebrating with her family at the governor's ball. >> and the oscar goes to daniel day lewis. >> oscar winner meryl streep presented the award to daniel day lewis for his role in "lincoln."

>> i had actually been committed to play margaret thatcher. >> in the directing category, ang lee won for "life of pi." from "django unchained," christoph wallets won for best supporting actor. another performance from the cast of "les miserables." a moving in memoriam, and "adele" from "skyfall," that went on to win best original

song. >> and the quest to beat tommy lee jones starts now. >> song and dance for a big welcome. and as the credits ran, the end of the night alongside kristin chenowith and a tribute to the evening's losers. he said before the show this was a one-time thing for him. >> one and done. >> what did you think of his performance? >> he is extremely talented. i agree with savannah that the opening was too long. >> it's a thankless task. i'm not going to join the legions of people criticizing. >> there's enough of those people. >> exactly. >> did you realize you are standing next to a very, very important man? >> him? >> oh, yes. >> i don't know if you guys know this. when jennifer lawrence hit the

red carpet she revealed the person she was most looking forward to seeing. take a look. >> i want to see al roker. i used to watch him like every day before school. >> of all the people you could possibly see, al roker? >> it means something to me personally. >> what does he mean to you other than what's happening in your neck of the woods? >> actors are great but i love al roker. >> every morning he's happy. >> i can be al. here jennifer is what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> hey! okay. >> not bad, mr. roker. >> no. >> well, you know, i got to meet her and interview her for the golden globes, you know, last year. or earlier this year. very sweet -- >> never gotten over that. >> she had the flu so i think she's delirious. >> did you get to see her again last night? >> i did get to talk to her gep on the red carpet. very sweet young lady, but it explains why she tripped on the

stars. >> seriously. >> favorite with hollywood it girls everywhere. we'll have more on the oscars. but we're following breaking news coming out of the vatican this morning, include iing some rules from pope benedict that change how they pick his replacement. >> the pope has given the cardinals permission to move up the start date of the conclave which will choose his successor. a cardinal that has been in the headlines for the past 24 hours for all the wrong reasons decides to resign and says he's not coming to the conclave. all this is happening while the faithful celebrate the end of benedict's papacy. even in his final days as pope, scandal continues to dog benedict's papacy and the church.

headline rumors of blackmail and conspiracy that the vatican vehemental vehemently denies. because of his role protecting abusive priests, decide to stay home. and cardinal o'brian. >> someone has erred in some way or another, it doesn't salt their judgment. >> reporter: today he resigned. ugly headline that is one vatican watcher says will shape the deliberations of the conclave. >> some of this is politics but other parts of it are the long-delayed reckoning with problems that require face iingd correcting in the church. >> reporter: the scandals have left many of the faithful weary. >> i'm a true believer and i hope that catholics will get a better name these days.

>> reporter: despite the controversy, st. peter's square still felt like a well-behaved mosh pit. 100,000 people came to say thank you to the 85-year-old pontiff, speaking from his window for the last time. he says he is not abandoning the church but following god's call to more prayer and meditation. now also this morning, the pope met with the three cardinals who prepared the secret dossier that's been talked about so much here, regarding the vati-leaks incident. the pope says only he has read that report and he will share it with the next pope. savannah? >> anne thompson at the vatican for us this morning. i will be live at the vatican wednesday and thursday for the pope's final public audience and last day as the leader of the church. matt? >> savannah, thanks. nascar events, calls for

improved safety after the weekend accident that cast a big shadow over sunday's daytona 500. janet shamlian is in daytona beach. good morning to you. >> reporter: hi, matt. yeah, this was a horrible crash that happened during a nascar race on saturday. more than two dozen people were hurt and these weren't drivers. they were fans hit by flying debris while sitting in the grandstand. a weekend of history and tragedy at the daytona 500. the first woman ever to start in the front position at daytona. but saturday's nightmarish wreck was still fresh on everyone's mind. >> and a terrible crash coming to the finish. >> reporter: on the last lap of the race, one of the cars crashed into the fence and split apart, sending chunks of metal and a tire high in the grandstand. 28 fans were hurt. 12 admitted to local hospitals. some seated as far from the track as 40 rows up.

he heather huntington saw it up close. >> we were really shook up. >> reporter: and some questioned whether the 22-foot high catch fence is high enough. three-time indianapolis 500 winner dario franchiti called for an alternative, saying there has to be a better solution. race officials said they will look at ways to make improvements. >> that's the kiwi learn from this and figure out what else to do. >> reporter: it's been the ability to almost reach out and touch the car that's always been part of nascar's culture. >> how do you stop something like this from happening? it's a tough situation nascar is in. there's always that possibility. >> reporter: but on sunday, the race went on. nascar's super bowl starting much for half of a century. only this time with a twist. >> drivers, and danica, start your engines! >> reporter: when it was over, jimmy johnson had won his second

daytona. danica had finished eighth, the best finish for a female driver. much of it was overshadowed by the crash on saturday. >> as you would expect. janet shamlian, thank you very much. now here's savannah. sweeping automatic budget cuts set to take effect in just four days unless lawmakers reach a deal. peter alexander takes a look at how it will affect everything from air travel to the food we eat. peter, good morning to you. >> reporter: yeah, savannah, that's all true this morning the white house is picking up the pace of its pr offensive, rolling out reports for each of the country states and how they will be affected by its automatic budget cuts. the president will speak to the governors here in washington for their winter meetings. republic republicans also don't like these cuts, but they accuse the president of failing to lead and ultimately it's you who could be affected. at the shipyard in norfolk, virginia, 1,600 letters with

possible pink slips are already in the mail while they're waiting for washington to act. still with the clock ticking down, no signs of progress, but plenty of dire warnings from the administration about the potential impact of the so-called sequester. fewer fbi agents on the job. kids kicked out of child care programs. even meat shortages that could jack up prices with fewer inspectors working. >> if we don't have inspection, we're not going to be working so i don't need the employees here. >> reporter: fewer tsa agents, fewer air traffic controller, meaning more time on the tarmac. states would be hard hit, too, releasing these new figures overnight. in california, 9,600 low-income students could lose their college financial aid, in florida, nearly $4 million could be slashed to provide meals for needy seniors and in texas, nearly 10,000 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases like whooping cough and the flu. just in time for spring, national parks like yosemite

will see their services cut, 700,000 defense department workers to take one day off a week, a 20% pay cut. near quantico marine base in virginia, it's already breeding anxiety. >> people are hunkered down, really afraid to spend any kind of money. >> reporter: both sides seem to agree these cuts will go into effect at the end of this week. there's also at least some good news. most of the layoffs and furloughs won't actually take place until a month from now. >> maybe they will sort it out at some point. peter alexander at the white house, thank you very much. let's get a check of the top stories of the morning. natalie is here with those. >> good morning. welcome back. >> thank you. >> good morning, savannah. john kerry is in london this morning as he kicks off his first official overseas trip as secretary of state. andrea mitchell is traveling with him.

good morning. >> reporter: good morning, natalie. secretary clinton could not resolve syria and secretary kerry is facing his debut on the world stage, trying to deal with the same problem. he met today with the prime minister at downing street, david cameron, as the allies are trying to scramble, trying to salvage a key meeting with syrian opposition leaders scheduled later this week in rome. syrian rebels do not want to go to the meeting because they are frustrated that the u.s. and europe have refused to provide arms and other aid and create a no-fly zone. secretary clinton had proposed that along with defense secretary leon panetta last year, at least proposed arming and training some rebel groups but the president rejected that plan last year. tomorrow, of course, the biggest problem, the biggest obstacle that the new secretary of state, john kerry, will face to getting rid of the assad reg seem russia. will he meet tomorrow in berlin with the russian foreign leader.

that's a very big challenge. a visiting tour, nine countries in 11 days. natalie? >> andrea mitchell traveling with the secretary in london this morning. thank you. more legal trouble for the pistorius family this morning as it's revealed the so-called blade runner's older brother is facing vehicular manslaughter charges for the death of a woman in a 2008 auto accident. meanwhile, pistorius awaits his trial for the murder of reeva steenkamp. cuban president raul castro began what he says will be his final five-year term on sunday, tapping his top deputy to assume the presidency in 2016. he succeeded his brother, fidel castro, who led the cuban revolution in 1989.

on average, drivers can expect to pay $3.80 for a gallon of regular. now let's head to wall street. cnbc's courtney reagan is at the new york stock exchange. good morning. >> good morning, natalie. all eyes on europe today. expect global stocks to fall if the new slate of political leaders is viewed at all unstable. right now the race for prime minister is wide open. meantime a big week for retail earnings. looking to see how the consumer is feeling and if higher payroll taxes and rising gas price are impacting spending. >> courtney reagan, thanks. at 101 years old, hanging up his running shoes. the great great grandfather is retiring from marathon running. he has completed nine of the 26-mile races since he started running at the age of 89 to overcome a family tragedy. in 2011 he became the first

centenarian bearing the nickname the turban tornado. he brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "no excuses." fantastic. 7:17 now. i think he deserves to retire. >> 8:26, not too bad. >> he started at 89. >> amazing. >> there's always time. you can always do a marathon. >> we'll go back to al in los angeles for a check of the weather. including a new winter storm in los angeles. can that be true? >> it is. in fact, they got hit earlier this week -- i should say last week, they're getting pounded again. earlier yet near white-out conditions and those blizzard conditions will be making their way into the midwest. as you take a look right now, as far as the satellite radar is concerned and where we're seeing blizzard watches, winter storm warnings and winter storm

watches stretching from new mexico all the way into illinois. winter storm warnings and blizzard warnings in effect. the snow is already starting to fall and it is going to really pile up over the next 24 hours. snowfall amounts, we're talking anywhere from 6 to 12 inches locally, a foot to a foot and a half of snow. they've had soaking rains in the past few days. we're going to get more of that again. from louisiana all the way into the southeast. again we've got flash flood watches, flash flood warnings, rainfall amounts anywhere from three to five inches locally, could be up to seven inches of rain through the southeast. that's your latest weather. we're going to get to your local forecast in just a second. but first this message. >> good morning.

it will be a nice day today. generally sunday. temperatures will be quite a run average for this time of >> temperatures in the upper 40s. now back to the gang. >> al, thanks. coming up, we'll have a lot more on the oscars and the evening's fashions, including

one star who hit the red carpet in a dress from h & m. >> not bad. will she be ready for sochi? exclusive interview with lindsey vonn. first

coming up, we'll have more on new developments in the oscar pistorius case as the last images of his girlfriend before her death emerge. why yahoo! is going to ban working from home and a lot of its employees are not too happy about it. that story after your local news. i was living with pain -- all over.

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those who have had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. with less pain, i'm feeling better with lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >>. good. i'm stan stovall. an officer pulled over councilman todd huff 3:00 saturday morning when the officers said he saw him driving without his headlights on. huff was in the county-owned a jeep at the time. the republican was charged with dui and then cited and released. his blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit. time for the morning commute

with sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> big problems in the white marsh area, all due to a northbound accident. still impacting traffic in both directions. 25 mi. per hour on southbound 95 coming down from mountain road to the white marsh area. route 740 are your alternates. as far as traffic in harford county, at 543, detour you may want to avoid. there is livestock in the road. i don't have an icon for that, so we will just tell you. 20 miles per hour on the west side outer loop. also seeing yellow on the eastbound side of 70 towards marriottsville. here is what ... i could baltimore national pike. 83 south towards baltimore national road. >> first time i've heard you say

"livestock in the road." hate when that happens. chilly at the airport. 27 in westminster. the storm system that will give us rain tomorrow is way off to the south on the gulf coast. mostly sunny is our forecast. you will see a few high, thin clouds in the afternoon. high temperatures it ranged between 44 and 49. it might be cold enough for it to start off with sleet or snow

we'll have a look at some of the beautiful designer dresses that turned heads at the oscars. who wore it best? we'll have a look at that with al and meredith live in los angeles coming up. 7:30 now on a monday morning, february 25th. >> who are you wearing this morning? >> i have no idea. it was a late night. in this age of computers and smart phones where we're always connected, it's become pretty easy to do your work from home. that's made life easier for people all across the country. why has yahoo! now decided to ban the process? we'll tell you what's behind the

controversial decision. more on the oscar pistorius case, including the final images of his girlfriend before her death. we're seeing these for the first time this morning. we'll get the latest in a live report from south africa. let's begin this half hour with the exclusive interview with gold medal skier lindsey vonn. we caught up with her in veail, colorado, where she continues to recover from a terrible crash. she tells me sochi remains firmly in her sights. a beaming smile, atop the podium for four overall world cup titles and olympic gold. lindsey vonn's childhood dreams come true, and then a nightmare at the recent world championships. >> and she is down, heavy ily. >> now, two weeks after major knee surgery, she is up and about. in the mountains she grew up in as a girl. >> they have reflectors in case i'm cruising.

>> going out on the highway at night? yeah? >> a specialty so when i'm walking around in the ice i've got little grippers. >> the day after surgery she shared this photo from her hospital bed and now was willing to show me the actual damage. >> i have a screw that holds in my mcl and acl right here and then i have a little pin that kind of holds it all together. >> rehab started immediately. one-hour sessions twice a day. upper body and core are no problem. as far as the knee? >> mostly just moving the kneecap around so there's no scarring underneath the kneecap, getting the fluid out. >> von remembers all the details of the crash. she estimates she was skiing 70 to 80 miles an hour. >> i just went off a jump, flew too far and landed in a pile of snow that hadn't been cleared away. and it essentially stopped my skis on impact and my knee just completely buckled.

>> you let out a shriek. >> yeah. i knew -- i initially thought it was going to be worse. there was so much pain that i couldn't quite tell where exactly it was coming from. >> air lifted to the hospital she learned she had torn ligaments, her acl and mcl, plus a bone fracture. >> i knew what was wrong with me within five minutes of getting there. everything happened pretty quick, but it was still a long time for me to think about, you know, my career and -- >> did you, did you -- >> yeah. >> stop and think okay, i've broken this, torn this, got major surgery in my future. is this the end of the career? >> i didn't think it was going to be the end of my career. >> falls and injuries, she says, are part of the job. >> you can honestly, after what you just went through, get back on a course and have no fear? >> i know i can. that's just who i am. >> you read the magazines and they already cal you the most accomplished. >> but i'm not. >> well, the most accomplished.

>> number two. >> u.s. ski er of all time. >> u.s., u.s. skier, but not overall. >> it means that much to you? >> yep. i just -- i feel like i have a lot more left to do. >> do you worry you push yourself too hard? >> yeah, i definitely do. i always consider when i get injured, is this going to prevent me from walking when i'm 50? >> and more headlines of the von revealed recently she struggles with depression. i'm curious why you came forward. >> i felt like after my divorce that was something i needed to get off my chest. and i felt like i needed to tell people about it to really be able to move forward. i hope that at least one good thing about me talking about it is that other people don't feel ashamed to talk about it. >> no stranger to injury, she feels the recovery process will give her strength. >> i struggled definitely in the first couple of days after the injury but i have something to look forward to. and right now my goal is to be back for 2014 in sochi. i have plenty of time to get ready for sochi.

>> do you really? to hear you say that it doesn't seem like a lot of time for me. it's a lot of time for sochi but you can't just show up in sochi and say i'm ready to ski again. >> says who? >> when will you have to get back on the slopes so you can be ready for the slopes? >> honestly in the worst case scenario, if i trained a week before the games, i would be fine. >> that sounds a little optimistic. she says she hopes to get back on skis some time in november and race some in december. by the way, on another note, recent headlines have linked lindsey with tiger woods. i asked her about that she said, matt i would like to keep my personal life private. we respect that. >> i like how she sassed you. says who? >> for a guy who never skied a day in his life. >> we definitely are rooting for her. we want to get another check of

the weather from al out in los angeles. >> announcer: "today's" weather is brought to you by chico's, your destination for fabulous fashion and accessories. good morning, everybody, here from los angeles. let's take a look, see what we've got for you coming up this half hour we are looking at a fabulous day to start off. what's the week look like? above-normal temperatures in the upper great lakes, eastern seaboard looking at a little wet weather, below-normal temperatures with snow back through the rockies and the plains states. as we get into the midweek period we'll be looking at below-normal temperatures in the midsection of the country. above normal in the southeast. we expect temperatures to stay below normal from the upper great lakes all the way to the gulf, along the california coast. warmer than usual in the northeast and new england. that's what'snd

good morning. we will see plenty of sunshine. maybe some high, thin clouds this afternoon. >> and that's your latest weather, savannah. >> al, thank you. oscar pistorius is making his first public appearance after being freed on bail as we see what could be the final images of his girlfriend alive. michelle kosinski is in south africa for us. good morning. >> reporter: why oscar pistorius hasn't shown up to meet with police or if he really has to after all. we're seeing the first images that we're thinking may actually be the last known pictures

captured of reeva steenkamp, her friend's father telling a newspaper she hadn't planned on staying with pistorius that night saying i'm tired, it's too far to drive. i'll see you tomorrow. these pictures leaked from security camera video show a smiling reeva steenkamp arriving at oscar pistorius' gated development the evening before valentine's day for what would be the last time. for three days, the stuff of global headlines, oscar pistorius has not set foot outside his uncle's house. awaiting army of photographers no doubt a detracter. his brother faces questions himself, facing culpable homicide, negligent homicide or manslaughter in the u.s., stemming from a car accident six years ago in which a woman on a motorcycle died. he was charged with driving

recklessly. while he was in court for his brother each day last week, standing by his side, at times comforting him, his own trial was supposed to start that thursday, but was postponed till the next month so he could support oscar. in a statement, his attorney said there is no doubt that carl is innocent. he deeply regrets the accident. blood tests conducted by the police at the time prove that he had not been under the influence of alcohol. the deceased collided with carl's car. the attention on oscar's case has not let up for a moment. friends of reeva steenkamp react to his release. >> personally i think he deserves to stay in jail and suffer there. >> reporter: pistorius is free to live his life within a set of restrictions. his coach had talked about starting training again as early as today but he has chosen to stay well out of the spotlight for now in tfor the first time n many years. not included in the final court

order, which seems to be different than what prosecutors have. his spokesperson said he did meet with parole officers. if he does have to meet with them, why are they coming to him instead of the reverse? savannah? >> michelle kosinski in south africa, thank you. does your company let you work from home from time to time? yahoo!'s controversial decision on banning working from home. and oscar one.

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it's super delicious! carpet.. and we're back now at 7:44 with a move by yahoo! ceo marissa mayer that's raising some eyebrows. >> now her employees are being told soon they will no longer be able to work from home. maria schiavocampo has more on this. mara, good morning. >> some are calling this a brilliant business move, others saying it could be disastrous for the struggle iing company. she shattered the glass ceiling

as the first pregnant and under 50 ceo of a fortune 500 company. the world and the women's movement expected big things but probably not this. leaking an internal memo from human resources that bans telecommuting saying some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people and impromptu team meetings. speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. the new policy sparked intense debate, especially on twitter. hey, marissa, 1980 just called. they want their work environment back, wrote one user. mayer is trying to right a big ship. best to bring all hands on deck and focus the crew, wrote another. known for its employee perks and even yahoo! gives free food and iphone 5. this more traditional move has some scratching their heads. >> to basically say that no working from home and pretty much no working from home ever, no matter what the circumstances are, truly makes it feel sort of

like an anti-parent, in many ways, anti-female workplace. >> reporter: the criticism won't sway mayer, who has made it clear the bottom line is her top priority. >> it comes with attention on everything you do. >> again, i haven't spent a lot of time looking at it or thinking about it. i've really been focused on the products. >> reporter: some say that focus may be just what yahoo! needs. >> if yahoo! needed to cut a lot of fat and can get a bunch of people who will now walk instead of go through massive layoffs, this may go down as a very interesting management move. >> if those employees do walk, experts say companies like google are eager to tap yahoo!'s top talent. when asked for a comment they said, quote, we don't comment on rumor

rumors,. matt? >> increases the happiness level of a lot of employees. >> you can't say home five dayies a week as much as you might like to but having that flexibility is something a lot of people expect from a modern workplace. >> i'm sure she works a lot from home. it's the image you set. >> apparently not anymore. that may change in a hurry. we'll see. ryan satisfy cresea crest wd tour of the oscars. rsea crest w guided tour of the oscars. ysea guided tour of the oscars. asea guided tour of the oscars. nsea guided tour of the oscars. sea guided tour of the oscars. crest guided tour of the oscars. i'm doing my own sleep study.

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we are back now, 7:50. ryan seacrest spent the evening at the oscars, following the stars for e! and he let our cameras tag along to see how it all comes together. >> okay. one day for the big event. the oscars are tomorrow. right now we'll take a look at what the show might look like on the red carpet.

we call it a rehearsal. how are you doing? >> hi! >> we're actually here on hollywood boulevard. this red carpet is in the middle of the street. there are 400 members of the media represented for the oscars and, look, they're already getting set up. this is where 700 lucky fans get a front row seat to watch all the stars as they enter the theater in their dresses and tux tuxes. thank you very much, adele. have fun. good luck tonight. this is where i stand for the red carpet arrivals. and this is our e! team right here. this is our red carpet. this is all the space you get. all the hard work has been done. now, ladies and gentlemen, it's show time. >> what was today like?

>> today was stressful and i had no time to eat. i am starving. >> at 9 years old, what is this experience like for you? >> it has been crazy. >> i take it you guys became close on this project? >> yes, indeed. he's my son. i tied his bow tie in the car. >> your hair looks amazing. >> i spent a lot of hair drying. >> you look good. >> thank you. >> that is a wrap. for "today," ryan seacrest on the oscar red carpet. >> big night. we still have al and meredith out in los angeles. favorite moments. did you have some? >> you start. >> the in memoriam where we saw the people who we lost and it morphed into barbra streisand singing a tribute to marvin hamlish. it was haunting. >> jennifer lawrence -- i loved when she tripped not when she tripped but the way she handled

it, her humor which she is famous for. that is her new thing, right, tripping? >> she makes the most of the moment, that's for sure. she rises well. >> fashions from last night. first your local news. >> do you think being and then you'll be turned into one and you will have to stay in and then you'll have to get shaved because you will be too hot and then you're like... [ growling ] which means i wish i was back to a human. what? [ male announcer ] it's not complicated. faster is better. and iphone 5 downloads fastest on at&t 4g. ♪ because every flake is double-toasted... splashed with sweet honey... and covered in rich double-roasted peanuts. mmm. [ hero ] yummy. [ male announcer ] kellogg's crunchy nut. it's super delicious!

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am sarah caldwell. >> northbound 95 getting more of an accident on howard county. northbound 95 for the north does best white marsh, accident still clearing on the shoulder. this is troubling for mountain road all the way down to approaching the beltway northeast. this is running smoothly at this hour. looks like this problem is cleared. disabled vehicle is gone. 14 miles per hour on the west

side outer loop. a little bit of a delay developing just past greenspring and inland towards the j.f.x. j.f.x. is filling up quickly, and the southbound harrisburg expressway is getting better for middletown to mount carmel. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> beautiful start this one, but it is a great start sunshine- wise. 31 in chestertown. we're watching a couple of storms come at us. is along the gulf coast, another piece of energy in the southern plains. it was a good chance for rain tomorrow. until all that stuff comes in, it will be nice. high temperatures between 44 and 49. average height is 47. we may start out with dry weather tomorrow.

rain is likely by the afternoon. turning colder on wednesday and thursday. i think this will clear up by the time we had the weekend.

. we're back now, 8:00 on a monday morning. it's the 25th day of february, 2013. it is a bright, sunny morning here in new york city with a big crowd gathered, signs in hand, waving to the people back home. and we thank them for stopping by. i'm matt lauer along with savannah guthrie. >> good morning, everyone. we've got al and meredith out in los angeles. they had quite the night last night. didn't you guys? >> we absolutely did. we're having a great time out here. we had a great time last night. i got to take in the glitz and glamour on the red carpet. coming up, who made oscars best dressed list and in one of the

least expensive ever dresses make it? i'll also show you what happened when i hit the after parties. >> okay. then what is it like to be a 9-year-old and have to deal with the hoopla and pressure of hollywood's biggest night? we're with quvenzhane wallis. >> nobody makes the puppy purse like little quvenzhane wallis. >> you have to be 9, though. >> you could do it. let's check the headlines with natalie. will not take part in the conclave to choose the successor to pope benedict. he resigned this morning after being accused of inappropriate conduct. pope benedict told worshippers sunday when he steps down thursday he will not abandon the church but serve it in a way more appropriate for his age.

congress returns from vacation today with less than a week when sequester spending cuts are expected to kick in. president obama will meet today, hoping to increase pressure on lawmakers to come up with a deal. wild weekend for nascar ended sunday with jimmie johnson winning his second daytona 500. danica patrick made history, as the first woman to start in a pole position, fipi ifinishing . saturday at the same track, a terrible crash sent debris into the stands, injuring fans. what has you talking online. you may have wondered about that scribbling on ben affleck's hands, something twitter followers have noticed throughout the season. those were messages from his daughters, including one that

read i heart papa. very cute. swag bag ease the pain for losing nominees, options such as a $12,000 vacation to australia, a $5,000 so-called vampire face lift, which requires no surgery and a five-day stay on the south shore of kuaia in hawaii. weight loss retreat or bottle of platinum tequila. jennifer lawrence handled post oscar questions with good humor, starting with one about how she got ready for her big night. >> and then i came to the oscars -- i'm sorry, i did a shot before i -- >> the fall on the way up to the stage. >> was that on purpose? absolutely. >> what happened? >> what do you mean what happened? look at my dress. >> what went through my mind when i fell down? a bad word that i can't say. it starts with f.

>> worry about peaking too soon? >> well now i am. god. >> the 22-year-old joked that the day was so stressful she felt like steve martin in "father of the bride." she handled it all very gracefully though. 8:04. let's go back outside to matt and savannah. >> she has a great sense of humor, natalie. she really does. >> future oscar host perhaps. why would you want to do that to your career? >> it's usually over after that. mr. roker is back in los angeles with a check of the weather. hey, al. >> guys, thank you so much. again, we've got this big storm we're tracking. of course, we're talking about blizzard-like conditions. our pick city of the day, though, los angeles, california. it will be sunny and mild. nbc 4, your station here. 69 degrees. gorgeous day today. look at this storm system getting its together in the midsection of the country. snow to the north.

rain to the south and east. we've got blizzard warnings and winter storm warnings from new mexico all the way into illinois with snowfall amounts anywhere from six to nine inches, as much as a foot and a half of snow. to the south of this system we've got a lot of rain and thunderstorms to talk about. severe thunderstorm watches in effect through parts of louisiana on into mississippi. we've got flash flood watches and flash flood warnings in effect as well through the southeast. rainfall amounts anywhere from three to five inches locally, as much as seven. both these areas got hit late last week with heavy rain and heavy snow. >> good morning. it will be a nice day today. generally sunday. temperatures will be quite a run average for this time of

>> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> al, check this out. a great moment with your people here. this is lisa from brighten, michigan. this is olivia from brighten, michigan. they did not know each other and happened to be standing next to each other on the plaza. same town. she taught in her school. >> yes. >> don't you want to fly back now, al? >> wow! >> come on, al. >> i'm on the next plane. you guys just wait there. i'll be right there. >> he'll be here. we'll take a break. when we come back, al will check out the fashions from the oscars last night. then we'll meet two brothers behind the hilarious ad, trying to find dates for their cousin's wedding and meredith will spend time with 9-year-old nominee

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come here. okay. [ inhales deeply ] mint. i had a shamrock shake. i hate you. and i got one for you, too. i love you. [ male announcer ] mccafé shamrock shake from mcdonald's. ♪ >> back now at 8:10 with more of "today" on the oscars. al was there last night on the red carpet. >> the fashions on display did not disappoint. ♪ >> here along the red carpet, it came down to the four bs,

beading, brocade, bold colors and beards. bare shoulders on a chilly night. >> i've got fire in my veins. >> fire in your veins? >> they left the back open. i love the back. >> i see why you love the back. i love the back. >> thank you. >> this is like the world series of this business. and i literally am thrilled to be here. >> you have a full beard working. he has a full beard. what's with the facial hair? >> i don't know but we hugged and stuck together like velcro. >> we meet once a week. i figured i would go with it. >> i'm so into this. i don't know how i'm going to get out at the end of the night. >> this is my breakfast at tiffany's look.

>> i can't wait to see dinner. >> come on. >> $2 million worth here. >> wow! jennifer lawrence, looking for one person -- me. >> no one i'm more excited to see tonight is you. i'm starving and i can see a mcdonald's right there. >> so close. >> so close. i'm on a diet, got a happy meal not a big mac. >> you don't get the golden arches, you get a golden statue. she at any time get the big mac but she did get the golden statue. i think she was happy with the way it worked out, savannah. >> i'll say. she mentioned she got a shot, too, which one may be related to the other. al, thanks. coming up next, a lot more on the oscars, including who made the night's boldest fashion statement. we'll break it all down after this. my wife takes centrum silver. i've been on the fence about it.

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the executive editor of cosmopolitan. ladies, good morning. >> good morning. >> joyce, did you think this was an exciting red carpet? >> i wouldn't say it's the most exciting red carpet we've seen. we've seen showstoppers in the oscars where often times the celebs pull out all the stops.

we did see hollywood glamour at its best and ran the gamut from classic nude and white colors and things picked up in the excitement department when the decos started rolling out. >> you said there was a famine of color but there was an explosion of glitzy deco, including the first lady. >> i was truly blown away by the -- i felt like i was in vegas. halle berry was stunning in versace, major comeback from the last awards show in terms of body silhouettes, age appropriate. >> phenomenal, styled by hollywood super stylist alicia stewart. >> charlize theron, cut her hair short for a part but she rocked it. >> she really rocked it. so simple, clean and the hair kind of made it. >> i love that the clavicle is the new cleavage, that shoulder

baring dress, i knew i was going to see a lot of that. >> so many strapless dresses last night. totally strapless or sleeves, there was no in between. >> or asymmetric superhero cutouts. >> my favorite thing was the necklace, long necklace in the back. >> sort of added a youthful, fresh touch to a dior couture dress. >> it was truly couture runway, especially when she fell on the steps. it was such a super model moment. will make the cover of every newspaper this morning. it's one of those moments you don't forget. it was elegant and sweet. >> is that a pale pink or a white? >> it's a white with a little blush under it. >> it had a blush undertone to it. >> anne hathaway, a dress that is a little polarizing. some people liked it, some people didn't. what did you guys think? >> here is the thing. i love the dress with the tiffany necklace. personally, i didn't love what it was doing in the back.

i thought that was a little bit alarming. the satin finish remind ed me o a bed linen. i didn't love it. i really didn't. >> what do you think? >> i think anne is a polarizing actress and she's going to make controversial choices. i thought the look was beautiful but i'm not sure it was the dress for the oscars. >> she's so polarizing, i would love to see her loosen up a little bit. give us a little more playfulness. >> let's go through some other ladies. jackie weaver, did you like her look? >> she was really proud of her $2 million worth of diamonds. there's something to be said for that. that's sort of what she led with, and her talent. >> how about sally fields? >> i thought she was amazing. i predicted red on the red carpet. she showed up a showstopper. it was absolutely stunning, youthful, elegant. she felt fun and free and just pretty. >> talk about showstopper, jane fonda. does she look amazing in this, in this brilliant yellow?

>> she looks stunning. age appropriate. it was sexy. it was hot and it's like the jane fonda workout really worked. whatever it is, keep doing it. >> siep us up. another polarizing dress, to borrow your words, naomi watts. what did you think? did you like it, june? >> more on the edgier side that we don't see. the night was so boring that i think it was exciting. i really loved it because of that. >> what about you, joyce? >> i thought it was the sleeper hit of the oscars. naomi watts never gets it wrong but last night was the night where she really stood out. it was bold and it was different and modern. i thought she looked amazing. >> let's talk about helen hunt wearing h & m. >> eau couture, h & m. >> i love that she was wearing h & m dress and million dollar jewelry. brilliant marketing. the dress isn't my favorite but i did love -- it was navy. navy was the new black last night. it was a truly stunning

silhouette on her. i wouldn't have said this is a look of less. it definitely gave her a look of more. >> it was puffy and sparkly. >> she totally wins the oscar. >> she was my favorite. >> everyone fell in love with her if they weren't already. i love that she called her look armani jr. >> the puppy purse, new look of the seen. i think we'll see a lot moving forward. >> reese witherspoon looked stunning. she said her little girl helped to pick out the dress. >> she was adorable. and the shape on the red carpet as well. >> 20 seconds or so for the guys. facial hair is the new black. >> facial hair is the new accessory for the night for the guys on the red carpet. >> they were distinguished. i loved the three-piece tuxedos. stylish moment for them and they all looked really sharp.

>> if you had to give a grade overall to the red carpet? >> eh. >> i give it a b plus. >> what about you? you're not going to get off the hook. >> a b. >> okay. tough critic. june ambrose, joyce chang, thank you. >> thank you. no one likes going to events like the oscars or weddings alone. two brothers have found a creative way to find dates. dave and mike, we'll call them, because that's their names, posted this creative ad on craigslist. more in the background here. there's this wedding. the bride is your cousin and she doesn't want you harassing the other guests if you guys come alone. she says you must bring dates, right? >> smart. very smart. >> so you would have harassed the other dates? >> she knew us well. >> it's a big assumption but we're going to agree with her. >> you're two pretty normal guys from what i can figure out over the past few minutes here. no girls came to mind in your lives that you might have thought, okay, we'll bring them?

>> that's not entirely true. we thought of two girls we wanted to bring. they're actually sisters we grew up with. they're both the same age as us and we thought these would be the perfect wedding dates. we had crushes on them. >> beautiful, funny girls. >> what happened? >> well, the younger of them, who is mike's age, is actually in uganda, volunteering at a clinic. so she wouldn't be able to make it back in time. >> that's a problem. >> turns out round-trip flights are expensive. while we were coming up with a backup plan we put out the ad. >> you said to the women you should respond in pairs. at least one person at this wedding. sisters, twins preferable. we'll take friends or even enemies. you should be attractive or our aunts will judge you, but not too attractive or one of our uncles might grope you. >> they might. >> let's talk about some -- first of all, the bride knows about this stunt now? >> she does now. >> how does she feel about that? any idea? >> pretty okay with it. >> she is? >> she's been fantastic with all

the taepgs. >> let's talk about some of the responses. how many serious responses have you gotten? >> total responses, we're up to about 1,800, maybe pushing 2,000. and most of them are pretty serious. >> there's jill and jane, who actually prepared a power point presentation for your consideration, saying they're fun, won't embarrass you too much and are not self centered. what do you think about them? >> you have to appreciate a girl who is going to approach this from a professional standpoint. a power point presentation. >> took some effort, no question. >> sure. >> these girls did a verse of the song to the tune "don't stop believing." i'm not going to get into the words but what do you think about that? >> rhymed words, creative. we were singing it all night. very classic. >> they're going to get a call back. >> a couple of older applicants, a woman named penny, offering herself and her sister. they're 53 and 50 years old. do they have a shot? >> they don't have a shot. >> why? >> only because penny is taking

care of her husband, who is disabled and we don't want her to -- >> we're not going to wreck a home. >> age is not an issue? >> not at all. >> so hoda and kathie lee? >> oh, they're in. >> they're in? >> if they would go for this, would you do that? >> we thought they would tap in, in person, but we're waiting. >> haven't checked my e-mail before the segment, though. >> among the people who are in it for them, royalties once our night story has developed into a romantic comedy, the chances are estimated at 85%, we refuse the right to let ashton kutcher play either of us. >> we were thinking he could play our older brother, sean. >> when are you choosing, quickly? >> in a week or two. >> we'll check in on you.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. that's get a final check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> a handful of accidents since last check. southbound ritchie highway at the beltway, we have an accident there. we are also attracting one at winans road in randallstown. woodbrook past loch avenue, what foreclosures due to an injury accident there. heavy delays on the board cited, fort. coming towards us as outer loop traffic.

33 minutes to get you through the west side stretch. 12 miles per hour on average. once again on to the j.f.x., just south of the beltway, watch for slow going. tony has a check on your forecast. >> you can see on the traffic cameras that there is plenty of sunshine out there. temperatures are a little bit on the chilly side. .7 in westminster di we are watching the storm system come out of the gulf coast. these will potentially combine and the most cold reno during the day -- give us cold rain during the day tomorrow. should be a nice day today. lots of sunshine until maybe late in the afternoon. we will start out with dry weather early in the morning

tomorrow, and then rain is likely late in the morning and afternoon. there could be some rain or snow showers on wednesday or thursday . >> back

8:30 now on this monday morning, february 25th, 2013. a pretty start to the day here in new york city. we've got a great crowd that's come down here to say hello as they wave to the folks back home. i'm savannah guthrie along with matt lauer and natalie morales. al roker and meredith vieira are out in los angeles this morning. good morning again to you guys. >> good morning. coming up from here, we'll take you inside some of the hottest post oscar parties.

>> and i spent some time with the adorable quvenzhane wallis as the 9-year-old got ready for her big night. matt? >> meredith, we look forward to that. you're not the only ones mingling with superstars. shuffle with me over here. take a look at this, michael phelps, the most decorate d olympian of all time. michael, good to see you. >> thank you. >> how is retirement going? >> living out of a suitcase, using a golf club a lot and traveling alone. >> explain that a little bit. you're now part of the golf channel's hank haney golf project, legendary has taken you on for the show. >> it's the most humbling thing i've ever done in my life. it's brutal. it's fun. you get to see some amazing golf courses. i get the privilege to work with hank. throughout the show you see a lot of frustration.

no pros yet. >> out in arizona. >> yeah. it's been fun, though. >> what made you pick golf? you leave swimming, have your choice of sports, within reason. >> i used to always want to golf when i was a kid. actually at one point in high school wanted to quit swimming and be on the golf team. but it turned out that it was a good choice. >> you made the right move. >> yeah. >> but now here we are. and i'm tackling this sport and hopefully -- >> let's see how you are, michael. i'll go one handed. >> it should be pretty easy. >> okay. >> if you can't beat me, you have no prayer. all right. one more. best out of three. going head-to-head with the most

decorated olympian in history. wait a minute. oh! sorry. >> missed it. missed it. >> okay. >> pressure is on. >> savannah messed up his concentration. >> oh, no, i didn't. >> no, no, we don't have a winner. the hank haney project on the golf channel. i look forward to playing with you one day. that would be fun. >> let's go back out to al with a check of the weather. >> all right. thanks so much, guys. let's take a look and see what we've got for the week ahead. as we start the week off, we are going to be looking, first of all, at a lot of wet weather in the south. we're looking at snow through the central plains. it is just going to come down. we've got blizzard-like conditions today thrghout parts of the midwest. we've got flooding rains, slight risk of strong storms from west to eastern texas all the way through the panhandle of florida. beautiful sunny skies. great lakes on into the midatlantic states. snow showers in the upper great

atkes. good morning. we will see plenty of sunshine. maybe some high, thin clouds this afternoon. >> all those big storms raging, keep track of your weather on the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. back to you guys. >> thank you so much, al. say hello to francelina. she is the latest contestant to have the scales tip against her. good morning. >> good morning. >> you look fantastic, can i

tell you that? >> thank you. i feel fantastic. >> from the beginning of the process until now how much weight have you lost? >> 90 pounds now. >> you lost 100 pounds before you even got to the ranch. >> i lost 100 pounds prior to getting on the show and i managed to take down half of my weight at this point. my biggest was 250 pounds, so -- >> wow! >> feeling small now. >> what are you doing at home? i know there's always exercise, but dancing has been an inspiration as well? >> i try to keep it fun, have a good time with it. it can't feel like a routine for me. it has to be fun. i'm more outgoing and happy now. i go out salsa dancing all the time now. >> you lost a lot on the ranch but you found something on the ranch, a little love perhaps? >> i did. >> with a fellow contestant? tell us about that. >> during the show, jesse and i became really close. we were like best friends and, you know, eventually we're like, okay, we're more than best friends. and it's just so incredible, being with somebody that knows exactly what you've been

through, has seen you at your worst and i'm getting better and better every day and he's still there. it's awesome. >> you've gotten a lot from the show in more ways than one. >> it really has. >> congratulations. >> thank you. >> by the way, a reminder, catch the b "the biggest loser" tonight, 8:00, 9:00 central time and that is right here on nbc. coming up, much more from los angeles and here in new york. but first this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:28 with more of our oscar coverage and meredith spent part of the day with the youngest nominee. >> the culmination of years and years of hard work but 9-year-old quvenzhane wallis is just getting started and as i

found out there's nothing quite like going to the oscars as a kid. >> the whole universe, everything fitting together just right. >> "beasts of the southern wild," with its new star, quvenzhane wallis, taking this year's hollywood awards circuit by storm. we managed to catch up with her on her biggest day, the oscars. >> you look so beautiful! who are you wearing? >> i am wearing -- oh, my gosh. i always forget his first name. >> apparently she was nervous. it didn't last. >> oh! >> first of all, we're going to start, okay. what is it about this dress?

>> it's sparkly and it's puffy. >> it is puffy. it looks like a princess. it really does. >> thank you. >> do you feel beautiful? >> yes. >> now first thought you had when you woke up this morning? >> i am tired and i want to go back to sleep. i'm kidding. as i woke up, i was feeling excited. >> you're going to walk the red carpet. do you have your walk down? >> yes. >> can we see it? >> you asked for it. and i move. >> now if i saw you outside, you know, just living your life, are you more a girly girl or more tomboy? >> tomboy? >> not at all? >> i am a girl. >> so you're a girly girl through and through? >> through and through it and through it. >> and what girly girl doesn't have a photo shoot by armani on oscar day? and those puppy purses we've seen her wearing, she has

choices. >> all right. so you, the dress, the doggy purse. >> that's it. >> and the attitude. exactl exactly. >> and she was, indeed, chillaxing. if you think she has any intentions of throwing down you would be mistaken. she shot two films already, one with brad pitt and a remake of annie produced by will smith and jay-z, among other things. a busy, busy kid. >> a brilliant bit of casting. >> it's going to be wonderful. >> really. the real party begins after the oscars. meredith and i got a chance to cut loose a bit, starting with e elton john's annual bash in his fight against aids. >> it's gone from 300 people and raising $300,000 to 900, nearly 1,000 people and raising $5 million. we can beat this disease. we just need to get rid of the

shame. >> this obviously has a serious impact, this party. but there's the fun part of it, too. >> every year. it is work for us, but it's fun wor work. >> 14th year of this party. elton's husband, david, and i went to high school together. >> really? >> i haven't been invited. i just have to figure out a way to get in. >> meredith's going. >> you're michael buble. >> i actually thought of telling them i was josh grobin to get in. >> cut a rug. >> what's your night going to be? >> strangers! >> vanity fair. >> we should get going. >> yeah. >> bye, al.

>> vanity fair party. it's the one that everybody wants to go to. >> really shiny. >> i come here, dressed like a robot. >> looking for a good time? >> i'm looking for a cheeseburger. >> and now here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> al! >> yes. >> oh, al! >> oh, yeah. >> the weather. now i remember. >> i'm going to hit -- i have to take my daughter to school in the morning. >> it's the first time i bring my husband. it's better than ever. >> a first date. >> yes. >> she's out here, it's chilly, it's cold. >> come check it out. >> jennifer wants me to check it out. >> there's a lot of nudity in here. >> the bar should be fun. >> are you going to do your pole dancing again this year? because that killed. >> i didn't want to repeat

myself. >> i would like to see that. >> no, you don't. >> never figured out why jim carrey had on those big feet. >> were they hobbit feet? >> they were but huge. >> kind of slimy on the bottom. >> and smelly, too. >> great moment. >> looked comfortable. >> exactly. thank you for that. we appreciate it. we'll have more with you in just a little while. meanwhile, coming up next, wild new trends for your home. savannah will handle that. first this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on "today's" new home design trends, decorate and color your world. elizabeth mayhew is a lifestyle editor and "today" contributor. it's more about gifts. you get ideas of where the trends are going, right?

>> almost 40,000 people come to this show. it really is the place in the u.s. where you see what the trends are. a lot of it is home based. today we're uncovering what some of those things are. >> first one should be obvious. it's flowers. >> but it's wallflowers. this is redefining what you think of wallflowers. great way to create a focal point in your home. tommy mitchell, those are metal, all hand painted flowers. then puts as shadow boxes. you can do one or group them as a whole. it has an old fashioned but updated botanical look and these circles that double as vases. you don't have to put flowers in them. if you want to bring it to life for spring it's a great thing to do. >> use real flowers? >> it's a little vessel. fill it with water. put it back on the wall. it can be just dots on the wall or vases. >> next we have rugs. >> animals on rugs has been a

big trend. decorators like albert hadley have used them for years. these are updated for a kids room, crocheted lion. >> i'm glad you said that was for a kid's room. >> zebra, iconic decorator. this is printed canvas. no animals harmed in doing it. twos company. >> another big trend, color. everybody wants a little pop of color. >> little pops of colors but also it's color plus comfort. these are fantastic because they are indoor/outdoor. great as a pull-up for a dining room table. they give you a little bit of color or pattern. there are some from fab habitat and also fresh american home. these are hosable. you can pull them inside, outside. they just add that pop. and they look great stacked under a side table. >> neon. it's still in for the home really? >> neon was really big in fashion last year. it started to hit home. home has a little bit of lag

usually. it is really big for the summer. you can do something like a neon tray, which is from sea wonder. take that outside. or from kristen maxwell, she did these trimmed pillows. it's a touch without going crazy. >> because in six months you might be like, i hate this. >> this reads as neutral, because sew you're okay with it. >> our next trend has to do with organization. >> now this is the thing about organizing. we have all heard about it. we've all been told to buy the boxes. this is organizing that's fun. for example, hartford company has these great boxes like i will never be organized. stuff i'm never going to use. we often say in organizing it takes a village. paper storage company did these great boxes that look like buildings. when you stack them up it looks like you have a cityscape. >> next trend is natural fiber. >> very thin towels, turkish towels. these are from pisu bazaar.

you think they're not going to be as warm and as absorb entent. they are incredibly absorbent. terry on one side, linen on the other. they dry in seconds. great way to put color in. mongolian lamb is a big trend, add that is pop of interest. and alpaca is huge. from alicia adams alpaca, traditionally won in the past three years the top award from the gift show based on her color and incredible fibers. >> beautiful concepts. should we expect things to show up in the stores at maybe a better price point? >> not all these things are available right now. you'll see them hit the stores in march, april. they're coming out now. and you will see, just like they saw oscar, the fashions being copied, these will be copied as well. >> all about the knockoffs. elizabeth mayhew, thank you. stress free meals for your

family. first this is "today" on n

we're now back at 8:52 with your mapped out weekly meals. food for your family to enjoy. assembling our menu this week, marcela. nice to see you this morning. >> thanks for having me. >> different ethnic flare? >> they all have the mexican

flavor but i like to go global because i feed my son, obviously, and it's a good time to get the conversation started with different cuisines and cultures. >> why do you like this, tandori chicken? >> you can season it with what you have at home and the flavors you like. >> adding to that a little bit of yogurt? >> jiginger. everybody loves garlic. cumin and coriander to season it. i love how you step back. >> that's all right. give it a shot. >> that creates a beautiful little marinade, right? >> just like this. >> how far in advance do you put the chicken in there? >> you can do this a day ahead. the day of there's no cleanup. throw it on the grill, serve it with a grilled pineapple salsa, basmati rice. >> for tuesday, if you like. >> what's in the marinade here?

>> olive oil, cilantro, thyme, rosemary. chop it up. add the raw shrimp. for a beautiful presentation. you only want to let that sit for ten minutes. >> it will start to break down -- >> you don't want it to turn into seveche. you stir it with the rosemary sprigs, cook until it's pink and you have beautiful shrimp, lime wedge ready to go. >> maybe white rice from the day before? >> go around that way. i'll meet you. >> you got it. >> day number three. beef menu. what do you call this? >> albondigas. it reminds me of my mom. onion, celery, carrots. little bit of tomato paste to

add some body, sweetness. we add our chicken broth. you guys already have everything prepped and ready to roll. >> these recipes are pretty simple for busy people. >> they really are. for me it's all about putting food on the table that's really good, do something different every day of the week, flavorful but fun at the same time. add those meatballs into the soup. we can add a couple. >> how long do they cook? >> ten minutes over low simmer. you don't have to overcook them. you want them to stay nice and soft. once they're cooked add a few more veggies, corn, cilantro, bay leaf. let that cook. >> let the corner go in last because otherwise that gets soft and mushy? >> yes. you want it to have a little bit of a bite. >> and in the final 30 seconds, you have a wild mushroom can quesedilla. >> yes. little bit of thyme, white wine.

take those mushrooms, add them to the quesadilla for a great dinner. >> natalie, you should have done this segment. >> i know. >> so good. >> thank you so much. by the way, you can find the full shopping list and the recipes on our website at today.com. special oscar take three from los angeles and right here but first your local news. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. sentencing is scheduled today for teenager robert gladden jr. the 15-year-old pleaded guilty to attempted murder, admitting that he shot a firearm on the first day of school.

he faces

>> should turn out to be a nice day. not as warm as yesterday. we expect a high around 47. >> thanks, tony. >> thanks, tony.